The Lower Back Tattoo Design - A New Trend With Historic Origins

Tattoos, Tattoos, Tattoos... Take a look around you and you will observe that nearly every second man and women is sporting at least one tattoo these days. It seems that members of the young generation are, in ever increasing numbers, having tattoos etched on nearly every part of their bodies. The most common areas of the body for large tattoo designs are arms (both upper and lower regions) hands, and legs. Some more adventurous are having their tattoos on chest and upper back regions and some of the more daring are even having their scalp, face and neck tattooed. Since the start of the 1990’s the most popular of all places for tattoos among women (both young and mature alike), is on the lower back region slightly above the hips/waist.
The lower back tattoo design is quite often oblong in shape and is considered to enhance the curves and shapes of the female body. There are an untold number of reasons for this popularity, but probably the most common reason for women having a lower back tattoo is the fact that it is considered very attractive and sensual. In other words, a woman who displays such a tattoo believes that she becomes more attractive in the eyes of other people. Generally most women wish to be appealing to the opposite sex thus the explosion of the lower back tattoo!

The History And Origins of the Lower Back Tattoo

While the lower back tattoo has re-emerged in popularity over the last few years, it is certainly not a new design. In fact lower back tattoos have been around for hundreds of years. The origin of lower back tattoo is actually connected to ancient religions and spiritual rituals. In ancient times, the lower part of the back was considered as the storage place of a person’s spiritual energy. This is quite similar to the notion of the chi force and meridian fields that are common to eastern cultures. Additionally, the concept of lower back energy is also found in certain styles of Yoga. It is therefore not surprising that this concept shares similar traits with other eastern religions as the practice of Yoga played an influential role within many types of eastern religions.
Historically, the lower back area emerged as a popular place to show off tattoos, as it was believed the tattooing in this region of the body would assist in the release and subsequent harnessing of a person’s internal energy. Regrettably much of the history supporting the lower back tattoo has been lost to all but the most knowledgeable scholars of the subject.

Many of the women wearing a lower back tattoo design today are not necessarily familiar with the origins and the unique history and significance of this type of tattoo. It is not imperative to understand the complete history behind the lower back tattoo, however, some knowledge of its origins may well add a unique aspect and significance to the tattoo as well as helping to explain to others why you chose this particular style of tattoo.

Lotus Flower Tattoos: What is the Symbolism Behind Them

Lotus flowers are amazing and have strong symbolic ties to many Asian religions especially throughout India. The lotus flower starts as a small flower down at the bottom of a pond in the mud and muck. It slowly grows up towards the waters surface continually moving towards the light. Once it come to the surface of the water the lotus flower begins to blossom and turn into a beautiful flower.

Within Hinduism and Buddhism the lotus flower has become a symbol for awakening to the spiritual reality of life. The meaning varies slightly between the two religions of course but essentially both religious traditions place importance on the lotus flower. In modern times the meaning of a lotus flower tattoo ties into it's religious symbolism and meaning. Most tattoo enthusiast feel that the a lotus tattoo represent life in general. As the lotus flower grows up from the mud into a object of great beauty people also grow and change into something more beautiful (hopefully!). So the symbol represent the struggle of life at its most basic form.

Lotus flower tattoos are also popular for people who have gone through a hard time and are now coming out of it. Like the flower they have been at the bottom in the muddy, yucky dirty bottom of the pond but have risen above this to display an object of beauty or a life of beauty as the case might be. Thus a lotus flower tattoo or blossom can also represent a hard time in life that has been overcome.

Lotus flower and peonies are also two flowers that are very popular among Japanese tattoo artists and they make a great compliment to Koi Fish tattoos. Ironically enough the two koi fish and lotus flowers can often be found in the same pond in front of a temple. The Koi fish is a symbol typically for strength and individualism.

Buying a Tattoo Kit

So you are considering buying a tattoo kit? Buying a tattoo kit is a great way to test the water with tattooing and seeing if you really are cut out to be a Tattoo artist. Too many people see the reality shows and the “rock star” status some Tattoo Artists get and think becoming a Tattoo artist is a license to print money but for every “Tattoo Star” there are thousands out there working a 40 or even a 60 hour work week.

The great thing about buying a Tattoo kit, if you are a beginner is that pretty much everything you need to get started SHOULD be included with your kit, that means a machine, power supply, tubes, tips, a few sets of needles, a decent variety of inks, sets of gloves and ink caps.

A quick search on Google shows that there are plenty of tattoo kits out there these days at an affordable price for the newbie who wants to get started.

You will find super low priced kits (from China) to kits well over $200 , there is an old saying “you get what you pay for” so don‘t just buy the lowest priced one you find, to start with you don’t have to go out and spend $500 but at least try and aim for the best you can afford. You are looking to start a career here and you want to start off on the right foot and not cutting costs on quality of your “work tools”.

Talk to other tattoo artists in the area and find out from them what Tattoo kits they purchased when they were starting off, nearly all artists have a personal favorite and a company they prefer to use.

Check Tattoo magazines. These days pretty much every newsstand has a decent selection of Tattoo magazines, check the ads in the magazines, often they have product reviews too that are helpful in helping you make the right choice.

On of the key things to remember with Tattooing is like anything in life you get out what you put in , a weak effort will bring weak results , buying a complete tattoo kit is a great way to get started .

However once you have done some simple, basic tattoos you can look to add more machines, different types of needles, various brands of inks to your equipment collection to lead you on your road to your new career.

The Importance of Choosing the Right Tattoo Parlor

It is critically important to qualify the tattoo parlor, and artist you choose to ink your tattoo designs. This is a very important decision and goes hand in hand with the importance of the design you choose. Neither the tattoo design nor the inking should come with any regret.

If you read my previous article on Find the Right Tattoo Design, you may now be ready for the next step. Before you head out to the tattoo parlor, let’s take a close look at what to look for in a tattoo parlor, and ultimately the tattoo artist you choose to work with.

Here are some guidelines for choosing a tattoo parlor. Follow these key points, and you are well on your way to making a wise decision.

1. The tattoo studio should be clean (floors and interior).
2. Autoclave is recommended for sterilizing equipment.
3. Single-use needles must be used prior to expiration date.
4. A separate room for keeping sterilized implements.
5. Good standing with the Better Business Bureau.
6. References should be made available.

Look at the tattoo artist as not only good at his/her artistic skills, but also as a consultant. A good tattoo consultant will make you feel comfortable by explaining shop rules and health guidelines taken to protect you from risks. You have the right to be concerned about your personal health. If safety health procedures are not given prior to the work being started, you need to ask what precautions are taken for your own well being.

No one should be offended by this questioning.

Here is why sanitation guidelines by the tattoo shop and artist are so important for your health. Your skin protects you from infections, and when the skin is pierced, it gives pathogens a chance to enter the body. A pathogen is a biological agent that causes disease or illness.

Your greatest risk at the tattoo parlor would be from contaminated needles. Pathogens can also enter your body through breathing. If the shop is not clean, there is a chance that the tattoo equipment and other items are also dirty, and pathogens can be in the air.

Find out what type of needles will be used for your tattoo. Single use needles come in sterilized pouches and should always be taken out of the pouch with you looking on. All needles should be used only once, and discarded in a sharps container after use. Make sure you see the needles come out of a sterilized pouch, and check the expiration date on the pouch.

In addition, every item being used on your body should be sterilized. This includes the needles, wound care products, latex gloves, ink tubes and grips (stainless steel tube that holds the needle bar). If it touches your body it must be sanitized. Any professional tattoo artist will make sanitation a top priority, not only for your good, but also for his own.

The needles protruding from the grip are dipped into tattoo pigment inks. The inks are either in individual caps or cups for each client. Pigments should be prepared in a sanitary manner, and used for one client only. Excess ink is discarded just like the needles after use on one client.

If you are satisfied, that the tattoo parlor and artist meet your qualifications, go ahead and start the consultation. The tattoo artist should be friendly and a good communicator. A good communicator is one who listens as well as talks. If you have any feeling of uncertainty, back off and give it some more thought.

Other than price, this should wrap up making a good decision. This is one instance, when you don’t want to go with the low bidder. Quality is the name of the game, so expect to pay more for a good quality tattoo.

Where to Get the Hottest Printable Tattoo Designs on the Internet

It can be a frustrating experience to search for tattoo designs on the internet due to the proliferation of generic designs and cookie cutter tattoo artwork. Many people waste a lot of time wading through websites and online galleries that feature hackneyed, unoriginal work that is always a few years out of date. This article will discuss a few quick methods to find sources of original, fresh, top-notch printable tattoo designs online.

The problem with using search engines to find printable designs on the internet is that most of the search results are generic sites with the same old tattoo designs that all of us have seen a thousand times before. While it may appear that the internet suffers from a dearth of sites featuring original tattoo designs, the fact is that such sites are out there; they just need to be pinpointed using methods other than the familiar search engine. Anyone interested in fresh, new printable tattoo designs should take the extra time and effort to educate themselves on these methods.

The best way to find quality designs online is through discussion forums and internet message boards devoted to tattoos. Populated by a core audience of tattoo enthusiasts, online forums are a perfect resource of information about everything to do with tattoos. The sites and galleries linked on such forums are far superior to anything a search engine can come with up. Many of these forums have been around for a while and have prodigious archives going back several years. Browsing through their archives will yield a treasure trove of original tattoo designs that a search engine will rarely find.

All online discussion forums have easy to use search features so new users can quickly locate their topics of interest without having to wade through pages and pages of unrelated topics. Since so many people have trouble finding original tattoo designs, a lot of the discussion taking place revolves around locating online sources for great printable tattoo designs. These sources range from niche sites that are overlooked by search engines to little known galleries of tattoo art or even original design creations by fellow forum members - most people who are active in online forums are more than willing to share their findings. Many online forums require little more than going through a quick and FREE registration process to sign up. It is always a good idea for new members to take a few days and "lurk" before jumping into the fray or asking questions that have no doubt been answered many times before. Always remember to read the rules and the FAQs.

Forums are a free and fun way to find great printable tattoo designs without having to suffer the mind numbing tedium of going over hundreds of pages of generic designs pulled up by search engines.

Where to Find Awesome Celtic Tattoo Ideas Online

Celtic tattoo designs have exploded in popularity in recent times. Many people looking to get a tattoo to Celtic designs for inspiration and tattoo parlors do brisk business inking clients with Celtic styled tattoos. An unfortunate side effect of this popularity is that it can be very difficult to located original, high quality artwork and most people unwittingly settle for low quality generic designs. This article delves into the ways one can locate polished, superior Celtic tattoo designs without having to wade through hundreds of the same old artwork they have seen a million times before.

A large majority of the people searching for Celtic tattoos end up using popular search engines for finding designs - this has become the predominant for finding tattoo artwork of all kinds. The major drawback with this method is that search engines are not really suited for finding niche tattoo websites that feature unique, one-of-a-kind Celtic designs; instead the kinds of sites that tend to dominate the first few pages of results are cookie cutter websites featuring unoriginal generic designs.

The problem with these sites is that they are designed to appeal to the largest possible online audience to generate hits and become popular with search engines. They usually feature the same old designs that are at least a few years old. Such Celtic designs have been inked on so many bodies over the past few years that they border on being cliché. Chances are that the same tattoo designs that show up on such highly ranked pages have already popped up on hundreds of other sites on the internet as well as on thousands of people around the world.

Another huge problem with picking Celtic tattoo artwork off these sites is that they are not specifically designed to be used as actual tattoos. While most of the artwork may look good to the casual viewer, they will not look as nice inked on the body. Looking good on a computer monitor or on a printout and looking good on a human body are two very different things. The people who run most these popular sites throw in any random Celtic artwork and designs without giving much thought to their suitability as tattoos. Individuals who use these designs often end up getting inked with tattoos they are not completely satisfied with - a fatal blunder when dealing with something as permanent as tattoos.

There is hope, however. Internet discussion forums and message boards have risen to be a viable replacement for search engines when it comes to finding niche content like original Celtic tattoo designs. Tattoo forums provide a wealth of information first-hand from tattoo aficionados who have been through it all and are eager to share their experiences, good or bad, with others. Forums are a great place to find links to lesser known websites and galleries of original and fresh Celtic artwork that are perfect for tattoos. Since these links are gathered by living, breathing human-beings that are passionate about Celtic tattoo designs and not search engine algorithms, they are vastly superior to anything churned out by Google, MSN or Yahoo. While most internet users are more familiar with using search engines, it pays to take the extra time to learn how to navigate online forums - many will find it well worth their time and effort.

Getting a Sexy Lower Back Tattoo

A part of the body that is uniquely feminine the lower back makes for an ideal tattoo spot for women. Muscular and toned, the lower back counts as one of the most sexy and enticing areas on the female body which can be greatly enhanced and made even more sexy and exotic with the addition of a carefully chosen tattoo. It is no wonder that the lower back ranks as one of the most popular tattoo areas on a woman.

Due to the expanse of skin available, the lower back provides a large canvas for the tattoo artist to try more elaborate designs compared to the dainty tattoos normally found on the ankle, wrists or shoulder. Popular designs for women include nature inspired symbols such as the stars, the moon and the sun as well as Zodiac signs. Lower back tattoos can be as big and fancy as the individual wants them to be; from sprawling images of fire, swirling designs, barbed wire to a band's logo that is spread horizontally or vertically across the back.

It is a good idea to maintain a sense of proportion when getting a tattoo on the lower back; the dimensions of the tattoo should be relative to the size of the back. A tiny little butterfly tattoo that looks adorable on paper will seem lost and out of place when inked in vast expanse the lower back. Alternatively, a too-large and excessively ornate tattoo on the lower back usually ends up being distracting and messy rather than looking sexy and alluring. Anyone looking to get a lower back tattoo should consult the tattoo artist on what ideal size will look best on them – it should be remembered that each woman is different and one-size-fits-all tattoo designs will rarely work. A good lower back tattoo should accentuate the back and not overwhelm it.

In the case of a butterfly tattoo on the lower back, the butterfly itself can be enlarged or it can be enhanced with the addition of patterns around it. These patterns can feature barbed wire, creeping vines, swirling lines, flames or anything else that appeals to the woman getting the tattoo.

In addition to size, some thought must be given to the appearance of the lower back tattoo will look when the woman is partially clothed. Two piece bathing suits have a way of ruining the effect of many ill-conceived lower back tattoos. A ladybug tattoo that would otherwise look fine on a woman's back looks like an insect is crawling out of the pants when she is dressed in a two piece bikini at the beach. Fans of insect or animal tattoos on the lower back should always be mindful of how their tattoo will appear in various states of dress and undress.